A Strategic Approach Towards an AIDS-competent Society (Technical Note no.1) (UNAIDS, 2000, 9 p.): Step 8 Sector reforms to enhance sectoral AIDS competence

A Strategic Approach Towards an AIDS-competent Society (Technical Note no.1) (UNAIDS, 2000, 9 p.)

(introduction...)

Step 1 Creating AIDS competence

Step 2 The development, by consensus, of a national strategy on HIV/AIDS, based on local responses

Step 3 Appointing a national facilitator for local responses to HIV/AIDS

Step 4 Establishing a local responses support team at district level

Step 5 Understanding the epidemic and identifying key social groups

Step 6 Developing local partnerships

Step 7 Learning from action

Step 8 Sector reforms to enhance sectoral AIDS competence

Step 9 Encouraging the proliferation of AIDS competence

Step 8 Sector reforms to enhance sectoral AIDS competence

The formulation of criteria for AIDS competence at local and district levels and efforts to attain it will help groups in the field identify constraints and opportunities. This, in turn, will help the various sectors to develop their own AIDS competence. In each sector, units should review - with regard to HIV/AIDS - the amount and quality of the services they are providing, their internal organizational structures, their interaction with others, and the planning and development of their human resources. The implementation of sectoral reforms is intended to create a suitable environment in which AIDS competence can flourish.

A checklist on sectoral AIDS competence

Have we taken into account how AIDS affects:

· the quality and quantity of our services
· our ability to supply the required services
· the organisation of our sector
· the role of our service providers
· our human resource policy and management practices
· the planning and management of our sector resources
· the availability of public and private resources for our sector
· donor support to our sector?

(adapted from Kelly MJ, The impact of HIV/AIDS on schooling in Zambia. ICASA, September 1999)